Nothing is Never Nothing
by Amethyst Turtle
Summary: In which Crocodile learns that Nico Robin did not die in Arabasta, to his annoyance. After Whitebeard War.


AN: This takes place after the possible ending to the Whitebeard War and (hopefully) when the Strawhats are all reunited. Totally not canon, dude. You get it.  
I was just wondering what would happen if Crocodile realized that Miss All Sunday didn't die. Did he know that Robin joined Luffy's crew? If he does actually know in the manga... once again, this ain't canon. But I'd appreciate it if anyone would tell me which chapter he mentioned it.

Nothing is Never Nothing

No one had known where Crocodile vanished to after the war.

Not a single grain of sand, not a single hissing wind was sighted.

It was as if he had simply melted into the rocks below his very feet, becoming one with the earth.

No one knew that he was in the womens' quarters of the Thousand Sunny, standing behind Nico Robin, a chin resting on her shoulder.

"Crocodile." Robin whispered, too shocked to move.

"Did you miss me, Nico Robin?" Crocodile grinned into her ear. His hook slid up her ribs, its tip grazing the bottom of her chin. A menacing aura hung around him like a snake about to strike.

"What are you doing here, Crocodile?" Robin asked coldly, seemingly unaware of the fact that she was in death's grip.

"Well… things got boring after the war ended. I decided to hitch a ride on Straw Hat's ship, to see if he'd bring me anywhere interesting." Crocodile chuckled. "And look at what I ended up finding."

"You're not getting away. Once everyone else-"

"Oh, I've checked. The rest of Straw Hat's pathetic crew is below deck, getting drunk and making complete imbeciles of themselves." Crocodile laughed, a deep rumble erupting from his throat.

Robin didn't respond. The cold point of the hook slid back and forth across her throat in a near hypnotic pattern.

Back and forth... back and forth...

"I didn't expect you to live, you know." Crocodile murmured softly, his foul breath nearly making Robin gag. "I thought I left you to die in that tomb, back in Arabasta. I was so sure that I pierced your heart. Hm."

"You thought wrong."

"And I thought wrong indeed! What were you doing these past months? Has it been months? I haven't bothered keeping track of the time." Crocodile's grip on her other arm tightened ever so slightly. "Who knew that you'd end up joining Straw Hat's band of mutts?"

"You intend to finish the job." Robin calmly said matter-of-factly.

"Whatever do you mean, Miss All Sunday?" Crocodile asked mockingly.

"You're going to kill me."

"And how do you know that?"

"I've worked for you for four years. You were always easy to read." Robin smiled grimly.

"Well, then that'll give you a chance to fight back, Miss All Sunday." Crocodile laughed.

"Stop calling me that." Robin said, sounding rather annoyed. "I'm not your Vice President anymore."

"Force of habit." Crocodile said sarcastically. "So, why not fight back? Come on… fight, Nico Robin."

Robin held her breath. The tip of Crocodile's hook was leaving a thin trail of blood across her throat. It looked like there was no way out.

"Coward?" Crocodile whispered tauntingly.

"Can you really hold a grudge for that long?" Robin asked, ignoring his taunt. She winced as the hook twitched inwards, allowing several drops of blood to splatter onto the gleaming metal.

"If it weren't for you, the entire kingdom of Arabasta would be under my control at this very moment." Crocodile spat. "Of course I'm pissed."

Robin's eyes fell on a glass of water on the nightstand beside Nami's bed.

"Luffy said that you were no longer interested in Arabasta anymore. Besides, I would think that I wouldn't be worth your time." Robin said, her mind racing furiously.

"Correct. You're not. You're just, let's say, a side dish."

"What a disgusting analogy."

"I think this conversation has carried long enough, Nico Robin. I grow weary of your small talk." Crocodile growled. His hook left her neck.

The glass of water flew at Robin, thrown by a hand hidden behind the framed picture of Bellemere. She ducked and heard Crocodile sputter as the water hit its mark.

At the same time, his hook embedded itself a few inches into her stomach.

Robin's vision clouded over, and she fought as hard as she could to resist doubling over in pain. Ignoring the stinging throb, she wrenched the hook out of her. Robin nearly gagged at the nauseating slippery sound and backed away, her arms already crossed together.

"You bitch!" Crocodile snarled, wiping the water out of his eyes. His bloody hook was raised above him, ready to slash into Robin with all his strength. Then two- no, three- no, four arms grasped his thick neck and broad chin.

"Clutch!"

A sickening crunch broke the brief silence as his head was snapped back. Saliva flew out of his mouth.

And Crocodile laughed, a horrible rasping sound escaping his jaws.

"I think I've underestimated you, Nico Robin. Consider yourself lucky. I normally don't leave my prey alive." Crocodile grinned lazily, snapping his head back in place while the phantom limbs vanished in a swirl of petals.

Robin coughed violently as a twister of sand flew into her and out of the door.

Blood was trickling down her body, already forming the beginnings of a puddle below her feet. She grabbed a towel and held it to the wound, wincing, her breathing ragged.

"Robin! I heard yelling and I-" Nami stopped in her tracks, staring in horror at the blood. "What happened to you?!"

"An accident." Robin collapsed onto the bed.

"Chopper!" Nami screamed for the doctor. She dashed over to Robin. "Oh my gosh, the blood- what happened?"

Robin managed to offer a weary smile.

"It was nothing."

Alas, she can never deny what happened during that reunion that evening. And somewhere out there, Crocodile waits. He waits patiently, for Nico Robin.

Nothing is never nothing, after all.

AN: Reviews will be greatly appreciated.


End file.
